Ashley Mackenzie – BookBunnies

Caramel reviews The Neverfear by Katherine Rundell

Caramel has already read and reviewed Impossible Creatures and The Poisoned King, the first two books in Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures trilogy. Today he reviews The Neverfear, the third book in the series, just published earlier this month. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, today we are talking about the third book in this Impossible Creatures trilogy. You were really excited about it; did the book satisfy your curiosity?

Caramel: Yes, it did, it gave the series a good ending, but can’t say how. But there is a kidnapping in the beginning and that gets resolved. .

S: And the whole trilogy wraps up nicely too?

C: Yes, there’s a happy ending, too, so that’s always appreciated.

S: Cool! Okay but maybe we should go back and start at the beginning. You were wondering what Neverfear meant.

C: Oh, yeah, it’s apparently the name of Nighthand’s boat.

S: Wait, who is Nighthand?

C: He is the “berserker” guy that showed up in the second book, and helped Christopher and Anya to get back the kingdom.

S: So he helps them in this book too?

C: Well, not quite, because if they told him, the kidnapped person would be killed, so they couldn’t tell him. So they sort of had to steal his ship. But it all ends up nicely in the end.

S: Alright then, I suppose. So there are new problems in this book to be resolved. There was also a cliffhanger in the second book. I am assuming that got resolved too.

C: yeah, that got resolved in, I believe, the first or second chapter.

S: Oh good. So that must have been good.

C: Yep. But the new challenges started immediately, too, so you had to keep reading.

Caramel is reading The Neverfear by Katherine Rundell. — Caramel is reading *The Neverfear* by Katherine Rundell.

S: It seems like this book too has some neat illustrations. They are done by the same person, Ashley Mackenzie.

C: Yeah, I like this artist’s work a lot. Definitely she is great for a regular book with all words. Now for graphic novels, Mike Holmes is the best! If only they came out with more graphic novels…

S: Now, I know Holmes did the Wings of Fire graphic novels. So I am guessing this is your roundabout way to request more Wings of Fire graphic novels?

C: Not very roundabout. I think I’m being pretty transparent… There are at least seven more books to go!

S: I think you are right. Anyway, back to the book we were talking about. Being the third in a trilogy I would assume one has to read the first two books to get much out of this one, right?

C: Yes, it is much more understandable with prior knowledge of the world and such.

S: Totally makes sense of course. Okay so did you like this world this story is taking place in?

C: Yeah, I like this artist’s work a lot. Definitely she is great for a regular book with all words. Now for graphic novels, Mike Holmes is the best! If only they came out with more graphic novels…

S: Now, I know Holmes did the Wings of Fire graphic novels. So I am guessing this is your roundabout way to request more Wings of Fire graphic novels?

C: Not very roundabout. I think I’m being pretty transparent… There are at least seven more books to go!

S: I think you are right. Anyway, back to the book we were talking about. Being the third in a trilogy I would assume one has to read the first two books to get much out of this one, right?

C: Yes, it is much more understandable with prior knowledge of the world and such.

S: Totally makes sense of course. Okay so did you like the world this story is taking place in?

C: Yes, it is very interesting, and apparently Hercules bred Cerberus!

S: Wait, Hercules and Cerberus from Greek mythology? They are also in this world?

C: Yes, but there are multiple Cerberuses, and not all characters of Greek mythology exist. So maybe they’re called Cerberi?

S: Interesting hypothesis Caramel! I really do not know. But I did not know this world was kind of a mixed bag like that. It is interesting!

C: Yes, it was really fun to read.

S: Sounds wonderful Caramel. I think this might be a good place to wrap up this review.

C: After all it is again a school night.

S: Yep. So let us do this. What do you want to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading The Neverfear by Katherine Rundell and appreciates a trilogy with a happy ending. — Caramel enjoyed reading *The Neverfear* by Katherine Rundell and appreciates a trilogy with a happy ending.

Caramel reviews The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

A while back Caramel read and reviewed Katherine Rundell’s book titled Impossible Creatures. Today he is talking to Sprinkles about the sequel, The Poisoned King, published originally in 2025.

Sprinkles: You reviewed Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell a while ago. So we are finally ready to talk about the sequel, The Poisoned King.

Caramel: Yup, it is also just as good as the first one.

S: I love it when that happens! So tell me a bit about this book. You had said that the previous book had ended a bit sad. Does this one pick up where that one ended and maybe things get happier?

C: No, I think it’s a little later, maybe a year or so.

S: The same characters?

C: Yes, some of them are the same.

S: Great! So there is some continuity. That is good. So tell us about the story.

C: Yeah, so in the beginning, there is a girl named Anya who is a princess, and her grandfather is killed. So Anya tries to figure out who did that.

S: So is Anya’s grandfather the poisoned king in the title?

C: Yes.

S: So how does Christopher from the other book show up?

C: He doesn’t show up for a while. But we are in the same world and same archipelago.

S: Ooh, and are the same magical creatures from that book still here?

C: Yes.

S: Is the whole book about Anya trying to find who poisoned her grandfather?

C: Sort of. But there are also dragons dying from the same poison.

S: Hmm, kind of like the first book where the magical creatures were in danger.

C: Yeah, except the dragons’ gold is also being stolen.

S: That is interesting! So multiple mysteries all at once.

C: Yeah, but all connected.

S: That makes sense.

Caramel is reading The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell. — Caramel is reading *The Poisoned King* by Katherine Rundell.

S: So in the first book there were a lot of illustrations and you really liked them. Are there any in this one, too?

C: Yeah, it’s like the first one where the pictures are shown only when an important event is described. They are done by the same person, Ashley MacKenzie, and they are just as good. But again, it could have been nice to have more of them.

S: Yeah, I see. Did the book end in a cliffhanger?

C: Yes, it sort of did so there has to be a third book and I have to read it!

S: Yes, apparently there is a third book and it is coming out this September. Its name is The Neverfear.

C: That is a strange title. The other two titles were more regular titles. I wonder what Neverfear means. But yay! I really have to read that book!

S: I am glad you liked this book that much Caramel. So it was fun to read?

C: Yes! I mean, they have magic and they have dragons! Who wouldn’t like that?

S: I know, right? Okay, so before we wrap up this review, tell me if a reader could read this second book before reading the first one. Would it still work? Or should they read the first book before diving into this one?

C: it would be good to have read the first one. You’d have a better understanding of the world. And the characters and the stories from the first book come up here, too, so this second book would not make as much sense to someone who has not read the first book.

S: I see, thank you Caramel, that makes sense. So let us wrap it up then. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell and is looking forward to the third and last installment of this trilogy. — Caramel enjoyed reading *The Poisoned King* by Katherine Rundell and is looking forward to the third and last installment of this trilogy.

Caramel reviews Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Today Caramel reviews Impossible Creatures, a 2024 book by Katherine Rundell. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, this is your last review for the year!

Caramel: Yep, and I am very happy about that!

S: Hmm, I thought you liked reading books.

C: I do! And I even like talking about them. But when the year is over, we always take a month-long break, and who doesn’t like breaks?

S: Okay, I totally get that! So let us do our review and wrap up the year then.

C: Actually we won’t be done completely, because on Saturday we will do a joint review with Marshmallow and go over all the books we talked about this year.

S: True. But you will be done with talking about new books. So tell us, what is this book about?

C: It is about this one girl named Mal and an archipelago where mythical creatures are real. The girl finds a baby griffin, and then meets a boy named Christopher and asks him to help her save all of the creatures in the archipelago from a great danger.

S: So is the girl a keeper of these magical creatures?

C: Yes and no, the griffin is her friend, not her pet.

S: Okay, so is this like, there is this magical world of magical animals that us mere mortals do not know about, kind of like in The Menagerie?

C: Yeah, kind of.

S: I see. So I am assuming the impossible creatures in the title of the book are these magical creatures?

C: Yep, definitely. However they are not as kind as the ones in The Menagerie.

S: Oh, are they more like wild animals?

C: No, they are more intelligent creatures, but still kind of angry.

S: I read that somehow the magic is running out?

C: Yep, some evil thing is stealing the magic from the source.

S: Oh, and so Mal and Christopher have to figure out what is going on and save the magic?

C: Yep, and they will have to kill the evil one.

S: That sounds like it could be an exciting read!

C: Yep. It was.

S: And does it all end up nice and tidy? I heard there might be a sequel.

C: Yeah, I would like to read it if there is a sequel. This one ended a little sad.

S: Oh no! I don’t want to ask.

C: Okay, don’t ask then.

Caramel is reading Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. — Caramel is reading *Impossible Creatures* by Katherine Rundell.

S: Alright. I will change the topic. Though we could not call this book a graphic novel or a picture book, there are still quite a lot of images here and there, right?

C: Yep. Maybe sixty or more!

S: They were apparently the work of the artist named Ashley MacKenzie. What did you think of them?

C: I liked them! But I felt like the book could have used even more images. I mean, there were some things that I felt could need some images.

S: That is interesting! You do know quite a few different kinds of magical creatures already, so I am guessing this book had some that you had not heard of before?

C: No, but I want to see them just the same. But you know, the map at the beginning, that was pretty cool! It showed the archipelago where the magical creatures live. And then there is an illustrated Bestiary, which was also neat.

S: Hmm, so I think you liked the illustrations, just wanted a lot more, because they were pretty good!

C: Yep, having more would have been really good.

S: Okay, I think it is clear that you enjoyed this book. So we can wrap this up now. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell and recommends it to other little bunnies who enjoy reading about magical creatures. — Caramel enjoyed reading *Impossible Creatures* by Katherine Rundell and recommends it to other little bunnies who enjoy reading about magical creatures.